A/N: There is no excuse for the delay in this one. My muse was on her deathbed and just refused to come out and play. But now it is done, the story is complete. I do intend to still write a sort of stand alone prologue. It will be all about how Tralik came to be with the Xel'nagans, and what did happen to Kantari? No SG-1 in it, but after all this I really think it must be written. Way too much back story left up in the air. I would like to thank everyone for staying with me for the long haul and all of your feedback, you guys are awesome.
Xel'naga
Sam laid stretched out in the sunlight. Being human again should invoke more emotion, she thought. For all that had happened lately, she felt an alarming lack of anything. And why there were no guards topside? Did the airmen forget that they were standing on top of a military base?
Just as she realized she was completely alone on the slope, she heard something sliding through the grass. She couldn't find what was making the noise. The sound was getting louder though, and the culprit closer. She tensed, but didn't move.
Finally she made out faint colors rippling in the grass, muted by the light of the day. The light pattern was eerily familiar, though how the statue could now be slithering through the grass was beyond her. It seemed to be circling her, drawing ever closer.
"What do you want?" Sam was almost certain by now that this couldn't possibly be real, but she couldn't release herself from the dream.
Possibly more shocking than her questioning a statue, or a strangely colored snake at the least, was hearing a response. The voice was wispy, fading in and out like the colors that rippled along its body. "Let it go."
The snake stopped, its head just a scant foot away from her own, rising up and coiling like the statue in the pyramid, the sky suddenly turning dark. Despite all of this, she still hadn't moved an inch, further confirming her suspicion that this was most definitely a dream.
"Let it go!" It commanded, lashing out.
Sam awoke to a loud thud and concerned voices coming to her aid. It took a moment for her to take in her current position, face down on the floor. Wasn't she too old to be falling out of bed?
Certainly there were better ways to wake up.
"Sam?" Daniel managed to blurt before everyone else, which was when Sam remembered that she wasn't alone in the room the Xel'nagans provided. Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c had returned in the middle of the night, bringing along Janet with her assortment of supplies, plus her dad, which was an event she hadn't been prepared for. Sam was happy to see Jacob, but wasn't expecting him to be waiting eagerly at the SGC for their return.
"I'm fine, I'm fine." Sam assured, waving away helping hands and concerned faces, all the while trying to hide the redness growing in her cheeks. Certain people wouldn't let her live this down anytime soon, that much of which she was certain.
"You sure? That was a pretty nasty spill." Janet commented.
"I'm fine." Sam repeated, already feeling a bruise starting to form. Alahn was still groggy with sleep, not quite sure what was going on. She resisted the urge to rub the offending bruise, lest those around her took more interest than the wound deserved.
Jacob was actually shaking his head slightly with a bemused look on his face. Sam couldn't help a chuckle herself, despite her less than dignified entrance into consciousness. By now she had sat up, trying to scowl at her father, but failing miserably.
If you really wanted to get out of bed, there are more productive means. Alahn joked.
Not you too. Sam scolded.
"My, Sam, what big eyes you have." Jacob managed to keep a straight face, but Sam could see it was only just.
Whose side was he on, anyway? And wasn't this the Colonel's forte?
"All the better to bore holes into our heads with." Colonel O'Neill quickly replied. Of course he wouldn't stay away from the digs for long. Well, if there was going to be head boring, he might as well be the first. Images of brain matter strewn across the room made the embarrassment tolerable.
A smirk must have made it to her face, the others taking a step back, guessing what she had found so amusing.
Xel'naga
Xyshokana-Esan took SG-1 to the pyramid. Several scientists were already within working on the systems. It almost looked like a completely different place, sconces lighting the interior much better than their flashlights had been able to. The detail that had went into the walls, reliefs, and inlays were much more striking.
The Xel'nagans had invited them to explain the machine's functions, and to see the progress that was being made. It was quite amazing really, if you were into all this technology stuff. Not really his field, but what Daniel could wrap his head around was simply astonishing.
The machine used components from the old body to create the new body. Since Xel'nagans had more mass than a symbiote could ever dream of, there was no worry for a shortage of material. Surplus was destroyed. No one really wanted to consider what that meant.
Sam had been most fascinated with their method of reproducing the brain. Daniel hadn't really thought about it before, but it was quite a feat to create a brain many times smaller than the original and keep all of the thoughts and memories intact. Xyshokana-Esan spoke of how the condensing algorithm had taken far more time to perfect than building the actual pyramid to house all of the machinery. He even commented on how well the algorithm was created that it even worked across species. They had never envisioned anyone else using the pyramid, but the algorithm had to be adaptive even for intraspecies use. The brain was one organ that could vary widely from person to person.
"So how do they intend on reversing the process?" Janet asked. She came for exactly this reason, to oversee what was being done. Both sides were entering areas that they weren't familiar with. Since the Xel'nagans never had needed to return to their former bodies, little thought had ever been put towards that end. Though not entirely sure what she could do if something did go wrong, Janet did feel better simply being there.
"He says that the last transformation is stored in the system. Sam's... blueprint is in the machine, they just have to interchange it for the symbiote blueprint. That's the easy part though. Xyshokana-Esan sees no problems doing that much." Daniel explained, leaving out what the hard part was.
Sam nodded solemnly, able to figure out where the hitch lay.
Selmak took the opportunity to voice what had already become apparent to all. "Reversing the algorithm will be no simple task."
Xyshokana-Esan explained more to Daniel, guessing where their conversation had taken them. "He says that reversing the algorithm itself is not difficult. What may be problematic is that Sam has gained new memories since the change. That means that trying to revert it to the original isn't going to work. So they have to work with the model and allow for these changes which wasn't an issue they had to address."
There was a moment of silence, everyone turning to Sam.
"Can they do it?" she asked.
Daniel exchanged a few words with the Xel'nagan. "It's risky, but he thinks it can be done."
Xel'naga
Janet followed Sam down the lit corridor that led to the second floor. Sam had asked Daniel if it was safe to go up there, and Xyshokana-Esan had promised that the statue only emitted a signal that calmed the chosen, it didn't force anyone to touch it. He had also added that the transformation procedure had been disabled to prevent the loss of her signature. The patterns were only stored until the next transformation, then the memory was wiped to make room for the new pattern. So Sam had wanted to go, and Janet had convinced her friend to allow her to tag along.
None of the scientists were in this wing. The actual guts of the device lay inside the other room. It was probably for the best, as Janet was sure Sam would want as much privacy as possible for whatever she was hoping to accomplish. She just hoped that Sam knew what she was doing.
Sam paused at the last turn, hesitant. Janet watched her just stand there for a few moments.
"Are you ok?" she asked softly. The thoughts that were going through Sam's and Alahn's minds she could only guess at. To once again be where it all started.
"Can't believe I'm nervous about walking into a room." Sam admitted.
"Considering everything, I'd be surprised if you weren't." Janet said. There was far more to this than just a simple room. A lot had happened here, and that couldn't be ignored. And it wasn't over yet, either.
Alahn took control then. "Guess this is it."
The girl looked tense, obviously feeling Sam's own doubts. Janet knew better than to interfere, some things had to be done. There was something that had to be proven. As a friend, the only thing Janet could do was help her out.
"Whenever you're ready."
Alahn chuckled nervously to herself. Janet found herself getting nervous as well. She had never been in here before, and only had the descriptions of SG-1 to prepare her for what lay beyond. All she did know is that the contents of the room they were entering had started this whole fiasco.
Alahn rounded the corner, stopping as soon as she entered the room. Janet made her way beside the girl, and then looked at the object of her attention. The statue was far away across the room, but still quite impressive from this distance. It must have been far more spectacular in the dark, but even with the impromptu lighting by the scientists the coiled symbiote was still staggering. She could see how easy it was to just approach the statue, the rippling colors easing her nerves, gently calling her forward.
Janet had no doubt that Sam was now in control, and she was anything but relaxed. Out of the corner of her eye, Janet could see her tense stance and unwavering gaze. It was as if Sam was having a battle with the statue then and there. Janet waited for Sam to do something, watching her tightly clenched fists down by her side. If she stood any more rigidly, she'd crack under the strain.
Sam stared at the statue, waging some mental war on the inanimate object. There was no doubt that she was angry, the set of her jaw said as much. Janet was sure most of that anger was directed inward.
After a few moments Sam started walking towards the statue, stopping when she was still several feet away. Janet followed and watched Sam's body language intently. So much bubbled beneath the surface and it needed to go somewhere. She knew her friend; so much had been stamped down and pushed to the side. Now it was obvious these feelings were fighting for attention.
"Sam?" Janet tried for some sort of response.
"I can't believe I did it." She began to circle the statue slowly.
"From what I heard you weren't thinking clearly. There's hardly any blame to be laid."
"I don't even know what I was thinking." Sam blurted out the words.
"The neurological effects may be more pronounced in humans. We already know these aliens have fundamentally different brain chemistry than us because they don't blend with a symbiote in the same way a human does. At any rate, it doesn't really matter."
"Teal'c didn't just go up and touch the damn thing."
The frustration was plainly evident, but Janet didn't expect less. Sam was trying to work through it in her mind. "I think he had more pressing matters at that point, don't you? Plus he has Junior."
"I had Jolinar."
"Had," Janet emphasized, "a protein marker only does so much, Sam."
"I'm being stupid, aren't I?" she sighed, looking at her friend with mild amusement.
"Difficult, maybe." Janet smiled slightly.
"This really isn't as bad as I had made it out to be. I just couldn't get beyond what had happened to think of what the consequences actually were."
"Such as?"
"I still know everything I did before. Getting down to it there are positives. Between being a host, as short-lived as that was, and being a symbiote the whole dynamic of symbiote and host makes more sense than it did before."
"It's certainly a unique opportunity."
"I've been too busy feeling sorry for myself. That's not me." Sam chided herself. Her guilt for her previous behaviors overwhelmed her. Janet came forward and they brushed arms.
"Extreme situations make people do things they never thought they would do. This has to be about as extreme as it gets. No one else blames you for anything that has happened."
Janet observed as Sam's expression softened. "I know. I just couldn't get over it myself."
As much as she hated to think about it, this might be one of the last chances they had to talk. There was no saying what would happen during and after the transformation. Janet turned Sam around to face her, and wrapped her in a warm hug.
"We're all here for you," Janet said, "and hoping for the best."
Xel'naga
Teal'c stood beside Major Carter. O'Neill, Daniel, Doctor Fraiser, and her father were all waiting by the hub. Everyone wished to be there with her on the other side, when she came through. It was there that the success or failure of this endeavor would be measured.
But she had to get there first.
He could only imagine what was going through both Major Carter's and Alahn's minds at that moment. Fear for certain, though both were equally determined. Teal'c knew that the moment was tense. Only he followed her to the statue. It was all well and good to have people waiting on the other end, Doctor Fraiser most of all, but he knew that they could use a companion at this stage as well. If rolls were reversed he knew he would appreciate the gesture.
It only seemed fitting that he be here for the end as he was for the beginning.
The two stood in the large antechamber, everyone else having left to their appointed places. Major Carter stood close beside Teal'c, her arm brushing against his.
"Thank you." She said softly. In the silence that surrounded them it was more than enough to be heard.
"You are most welcome." Teal'c himself had volunteered to accompany her. Doing so just felt right. It was an act no one should have to do by themselves. And the way things had happened to get to this point, Teal'c knew he had to be here. Someone had to see the event through.
After a few minutes they still hadn't made any progress to their destination. Their apprehension was mounting, Teal'c masking his own doubts. His friend could suffer terrible consequences from this action, but it was a risk that she wished to take. He knew that Major Carter's mental wellbeing would be greatly improved if she were to return to being human. The opposite would occur if she didn't make the attempt.
So, he supported her, placing a hand against the small of her back.
"I guess it's time to get going." Major Carter said, this time her voice was stronger, confidence clear in its tone.
"Indeed."
Xel'naga
This was it. In just a few moments Sam would be herself again, or not. Likely if the transformation failed for whatever reason, she'd be dead, or wish that she was. Despite all the risks, and all the monumental chances for failure there were, she was excited. She had been waiting far too long for this moment.
It hadn't been until Teal'c volunteered to come with her that Sam realized how nervous she and Alahn were about the whole thing. No matter how much they accepted what was to come, it didn't change the fact that it all could go so horribly wrong. They were both infinitely grateful for his offer, neither of them had put much thought into it.
Hard to believe it's finally going to happen. Alahn gave voice to both of their feelings.
Sam didn't have to reply.
The statue didn't seem nearly as threatening with Teal'c's large presence right beside her. Nor did the whole situation. Her friends, even her father, supported her decision. It was a risk that Sam absolutely had to take. To turn away the only realistic chance she had of returning to normal was unthinkable. Yet despite all she had gone through to get to this point, Sam knew it would work. Even Alahn had a good feeling about it.
But she still wondered 'what if?'
The giddiness made it difficult to walk. Sam didn't know exactly how she made it to the ladder, suspecting that Teal'c had played a large part.
Don't get ahead of yourself. Sam told herself.
Kinda hard not to. Alahn couldn't help her excitement rising as well.
Definitely getting way ahead of themselves. They had yet to go to the second floor, and already Sam was overwhelmed by the very idea of becoming human again. It seemed like such a preposterous idea. While she had never fully accepted the idea of being a symbiote, being human was hard to wrap her mind around as well. A fleeting concept that seemed to be too far away from the present to ever have been real.
Well, why don't we get a move on, then you can figure it out all over again first hand. Alahn suggested, bemused.
Alahn was right. Sam gave Teal'c an apologetic look for holding them up, though she knew he didn't mind in the least. Then she applied herself to the ladder, having to force herself to keep a reasonable pace. She had to fight the urge to race up the ladder and run over to the statue. Not that she was going to fool anyone, but it just seemed right to take it slow.
When they did reach the top Sam's mind was going everywhere. It was so hard to think, things kept coming from all directions, all at once. Thoughts of becoming normal, of what she'd have to do right now to get there, and a myriad of others that she couldn't separate and catalog.
"Are you well?" Teal'c asked. The words were enough to bring her back into the moment, something that she desperately needed.
What she really needed was to take it one thing at a time.
"Yeah, fine." She tried to assure him. Then she just tried not to think. A daunting proposition for an astrophysicist. All that existed was crossing the room to the statue. Every other thought that tried to worm its way into her consciousness was quashed. Like Alahn had pointed out, there'd be time for all of that later.
I'll do it. Alahn volunteered to take control. Sam drifted back, still trying to keep her thoughts at bay.
"Almost there." Alahn announced offhandedly. Teal'c merely looked at her and nodded. They walked towards the statue sedately, stopping a few feet from it.
This is the part I could do without. Sam announced, not for the first time. Neither of them had pleasant memories of being forced to join. At least when Sam had been inside Daniel she didn't have to enter him. She tried not to think about it too much, it was something she'd be grateful to forget.
Wouldn't hurt my feelings, either. But it isn't so bad. Alahn replied, trying to convince them both. They both agreed that it was necessary, and that they would go through with it. Liking it, however, was not a requirement. Sam and Alahn would have to put aside their distaste while Sam left her body. Alahn couldn't touch the statue or they'd be in an even worse situation than they were now. Neither of them wanted to dwell on the possible malfunctions that could occur from that action. The machine wasn't designed to deal with two life forms. However, to bypass this step they would have to make drastic alterations to how the machine worked, which Sam and the Xel'nagans had agreed was not wise. With everything they were doing already without proper tests, fixing what wasn't broke could only lead to more possible problems.
"Major Carter," Teal'c interjected, causing them to turn towards him, "I have always taken great pride in fighting by your side on all fields of battle. This one is no different. The difficulties you have faced in this war you have borne well."
Teal'c was one of the most eloquent people she knew, his statement only reaffirming that fact. Sam really didn't know what to say, she was deeply touched by the sentiment. It may even be the last meaningful thing anyone would say to her, the thought bringing tears to the back of her eyes as she was once again in control.
There was only one response she could give. Sam wrapped him in a hug, and he reciprocated without any hesitation. "That means a lot to me."
"It is my hope that we will continue to fight together for many years to come."
Though the words were serious, Sam couldn't help but deflect from herself.
"Wow, Teal'c, who knew you were such a softy?" Sam laughed when Teal'c gave his signature look of puzzlement.
"It was not my intention to provide amusement." He played along. The moment was far less stifling after the brief jest. It was shocking to think that so many people simply didn't know Teal'c and just how adaptive he was. So many people on base saw him as an unfeeling rock that was really useful for bashing bad guys across the face. There was so much more to him than that, all of it apparent just then. Too bad it was difficult for others to see.
The others were probably going to get worried soon. Also, if she thought about it for too long, she might change her mind on the entire plan. That just wasn't acceptable. It wouldn't be very good if they had come all this way through everything just to have her chicken out. Positive thoughts, she reminded herself.
Whenever you're ready. Alahn told her.
Sam looked over at Teal'c, her expression telling him that she was ready. He nodded, waiting for her to act.
"Ok." She said to no one in particular, sizing up the statue. She'd have to leave Alahn, Sam didn't dwell on the details of that bit, and then travel forward and touch the statue. With her general unfamiliarity with moving around in her current body, the shorter she had to go the better. A couple feet shouldn't be too hard.
Alahn caught Sam off guard. See you soon.
She hadn't really considered it, that they would actually see each other as two separate people. It was pretty exciting, on top of everything else.
I'd like that. Well, here goes.
Alahn took control then, and kneeled on the ground. They both agreed it would probably be less complicated that way. Sam offered up an apology for what she was about to do, then proceeded to pull herself free. It was easier than the first time, but by no means any more pleasant. All Sam could really do was try not to think about exactly what she was doing as she started sliding out.
Keeping her eyes closed, a symbiote had poor vision anyway, Sam just focused on moving forward. It wasn't until she was falling to the floor that Sam realized she had completely exited Alahn. The short fall was startling, but didn't do any damage that she could discern. However, it did disorient her, and she wasn't sure if she was still facing the right direction.
So she opened her eyes. There wasn't much to make out in the large room, but by the colors and general shape, she could make out Alahn in front of her. A darker shape behind her revealed itself to be Teal'c. That meant that she had gotten turned around.
Moving was something that Sam had always taken for granted. She never thought that changing direction could be such a difficult feat. The problem was she had spent most of her time not moving, and the one time she had had been straight and short. Turning around was almost more than she could accomplish. Each muscle was trying to accomplish a different end, hindering her actions. Rather than making progress in any direction, she writhed on the floor, by all appearances a fish out of water. It was a pretty accurate comparison, as symbiotes were naturally aquatic.
This particular approach just wasn't going to work. Sam decided that there was no way she would be able to snake her way around on the ground. It just required to much fine control, and she wasn't going to take the time to learn it. Besides, she didn't have to be graceful, she just had to get there. If her movements couldn't emulate a snake, then she'd just have to reference another animal.
Dragging herself along like an inchworm would be infinitely easier, she figured. After a few minutes Sam was able to lift her head off of the ground, and slowly turned in the direction she wanted to go. The statue stood out brilliantly, the rippling colors easily catching her attention. So she set herself down and drug the bottom half of her body in the right direction. It was anything but graceful, and she could only imagine what Teal'c and Alahn saw, however she was making progress. Slowly but surely she approached the statue, mere inches at a time.
All she had to do was stretch out and she'd touch it. Then she'd just have to let the machine do its work and hope all came out well.
After a short prayer to whatever power that be, Sam reached forward.
Xel'naga
Daniel stood nervously, unable to look away from the hub. The tension in the room was stifling. The seconds passed by so slowly he feared that time had been frozen. Still, he could only stare at the point where, if everything went well, his friend would appear. Any other outcome would just be too much to bear.
It had to work.
Even without looking he could tell everyone else was in a similar predicament as he. They had no idea how long they would have to wait. So they could only stand there and hope for the best. Wait for Sam to reach the statue and start the process. Arguably, the waiting was the worst part. Actually, as Jack would have pointed out if Daniel had mentioned it, it was cliche. And completely inaccurate. The worst would be if this didn't work and one of a million possible fates befell Sam. So many opportunities for disaster lurked.
Rather than dwell on the unpleasant thoughts running through his head, Daniel decided to focus on Fraiser. She distracted herself by preparing for whatever was to come. Janet had brought the essentials with her, most of which he couldn't identify. All the drugs and tools that she had with her were actually a relief to Daniel. Instead of pointing out what could go wrong, he grew more confident that Janet could deal with whatever may happen. If anyone could it would be her.
A Xel'nagan stood in wait to activate the recreation process. It had to be done manually since it was triggered by a host standing under the hub. The machine had been loaded with the base elements necessary to construct a human body. They just waited for the eyes to light up. That was the signal that the machine was ready.
Daniel couldn't be sure how much time actually had passed, but finally the eyes lit up. It was then that he realized everyone in the room was holding a collective breath. He watched Xyshokana-Esan nod to the Xel'nagan. Now was the moment of truth. The Xel'nagan activated the machine and there was a flash of light. After all the waiting everything seemed to be happening so fast. It took a moment for Daniel's eyes to adjust, but when they did he saw Sam. She was naked, but he wasn't focused on that.
It was her.
Sam fell to the ground almost instantly. Everyone rushed forward just as quickly. Janet was in the forefront, rolling Sam onto her back. Sam was convulsing wildly. Daniel wasn't sure what to do. Certainly this wasn't good.
"Hold her down." Janet said, and he, Jack, and Jacob were holding down her flailing limbs as gently as possible.
"Sam, can you hear me?" Janet then asked. Sam didn't reply. Daniel didn't know much, but he knew she was breathing way too rapidly. She was going to hyperventilate.
"What's wrong?" Jack asked her.
"I don't know!" her reply made it obvious that she didn't want any more questions until she did know something.
"Sam, can you calm down for me?" Janet's tone was professional, but Daniel could hear the gentle plea in the words.
The flailing wasn't getting any better. Daniel was at a loss, there wasn't anything he could do. There didn't seem to be anything any of them could do. Janet took vitals, and came to a decision. She took out one of her needles and injected Sam with something. As her struggling slowed and eventually ceased, Daniel concluded that it was some sort of tranquilizer.
Immediately Janet was monitoring her breathing and pulse.
"What's wrong?" Jacob asked when Janet looked reasonably satisfied to her condition.
"Shock. Her pulse is still a little thready, and her breathing is elevated, but it's acceptable." She replied.
"So she's ok?" Daniel hoped.
"That we won't know until she wakes up."
Xel'naga
Muffled conversation filled the air. Too groggy to make out the words, Sam willed it away. She was exhausted, didn't they know that? It felt like she hadn't slept in days, but the murmuring kept tugging at her. Not yet, she didn't want to wake up yet.
"Shut up." Sam groaned. The hoarseness of her own voice only served to jar her further into consciousness. Had she been sick?
"Sam?" The voice was full of concern, but she couldn't immediately identify it. Her mind was in such a jumble.
She slowly opened her eyes, the action taking more concentration than she ever remembered. It was dark and she was... in a tent. Sam's thoughts felt impossibly slow. Dusk, maybe? She could see but the light was muted. A face came into view, offering her a smile. It seemed to take forever for her to put it into context.
"Dad." She cringed at her voice.
"How are you feeling?" He asked. Jacob was barely containing his relief. Sam tried to remember just what had happened to explain his behavior.
"Tired," she admitted, "what happened?"
Sam started looking around the tent, struggling against sore muscles. She saw someone else off to the side. The girl was absolutely beaming. Sam was stunned beyond reaction.
"Hey, Sam." Alahn offered in greeting, shifting closer to the sleeping bag.
Sam closed her eyes, trying to stop the tears that came. They wouldn't be deterred and ran freely down her cheeks. She remembered all of it.
"It worked." Sam's voice cracked, and she couldn't suppress a sob. So this is what tears of joy were like, she thought.
"It worked." Jacob assured her, planting a kiss on her forehead. Sam wiped her eyes with the edge of the sleeping bag, attempting to get hold of the emotions running through her. She had believed it would work, but the reality of it still seemed so surreal.
Jacob got up reluctantly, grasping her shoulder warmly. "I'll go tell the others you're awake."
As Jacob made his way out, Alahn relocated to where he had been sitting. "Thirsty?"
Sam nodded, not trusting her voice. It took a lot of effort and some help from Alahn to get her sitting upright. Her muscles were simply worn out, and moving took every bit of her concentration. She was thankful to notice that someone had taken the time to dress her, noticing the black T-shirt as she partially exited the covers. When she did finally sit up, her head swam for a moment.
Alahn offered her a cup of water that had been waiting nearby. Sam's hands shook with the effort of taking it, and she had to use both hands to keep from spilling. When she was satisfied, she handed the cup back to Alahn.
"So," Alahn began, "here you are."
Sam smiled in response. "Here I am."
The tent flap opened and Janet stepped in, clearly pleased to see Sam awake. "Look who's up."
Sam smiled back at her friend, who leaned down and hugged her gently.
"I'm not going to break." Sam said. Janet sighed to herself and then gripped Sam a bit more firmly.
"Let's see how you're doing." Janet pulled back, getting to business. She took Sam's blood pressure, observed her pupil dilation, and a multitude of other tests. "How are you feeling?"
"Tired mostly. Feels like I've run a marathon." Sam replied.
"Some of that is probably lingering effects of the sedative I gave you. You're vitals are evening out nicely. So far so good."
Sam was glad for the positive news. "How long was I out?"
"Several hours. I only gave you a small dose because I wasn't sure how you were going to react to it. Appears to have done the trick." Janet said.
"I don't have to stay here, do I?" Sam asked. She suddenly had the urge to move around, to get out of the confines of the tent.
Janet looked at her for a moment, and shook her head in resignation. "Just don't overdo it."
That suited her just fine, Sam didn't feel like any heavy labor in the first place. Janet handed her a jacket that was laying nearby. Sam hadn't noticed the goose bumps that had formed on her arms, and gratefully accepted the coat.
It amazed Sam how awkward her body felt. How a few months could almost erase everything she had taken for granted over decades seemed impossible. But she did have to admit that her body had gone through a lot. Expecting everything to go back to normal immediately would just be foolish.
Sam decided not to think too much at once. She'd have plenty of time to come to terms with everything and sort out the experiences she had gone through. For the time being she just wanted to be around everyone, and prove that this was really happening.
Shoving aside her pride, Sam accepted Janet and Alahn's help rising to her feet. At first her knees buckled, feeling like pillars of jello, but the two held her steady until Sam could hold most of her weight. She just stood there for a moment, collecting herself.
"I can handle it from here." Alahn stated. Janet nodded and stepped aside, allowing the two to exit first. Sam walked stiffly, but she didn't think it was going too badly. As they stepped outside a soft breeze wafted through the camp. The wind ruffled her hair slightly and Sam enjoyed the feeling. It was one of the first sensations as herself, and she savored the moment.
"Sam." Daniel greeted warmly. Sam didn't realize she had shut her eyes and opened them to find him right in front of her. She let go of Alahn and wrapped Daniel in a tight hug. He returned it with equal vigor.
"I missed you." Sam admitted. It seemed rather funny to say since technically she hadn't gone anywhere. But she really did feel like she had been missing them all the whole time. Things just hadn't been the same.
"Missed you too." Daniel replied.
Reluctantly she pulled herself away. Teal'c stood nearby, and Sam made her way over.
"I am most pleased to see that you are recovering so quickly." Teal'c bowed his head slightly.
Sam shoved him playfully, receiving a confused expression. "I hope I get more than that." She chided, then pulled him into a hug. Teal'c's confused look changed into amusement as he reciprocated. The moment must have looked very sappy to any outside observers, but she didn't mind one bit. After how long it had taken to get here, and all that had happened, a little sap seemed fitting.
Colonel O'Neill was poking at the fire absently, looking rather uncomfortable. Not entirely sure what to do, she sat down on the fallen log they were using for a bench, glad to get off her feet. He crouched on the other side of the flames, engrossed in their wavering dance. The darkness continued to descend and Sam just watched as he didn't look at her. What was going through his head, she couldn't quite figure out.
His obvious discomfort left Sam feeling awkward herself. She wasn't sure whether she should do anything, initiate some sort of conversation, or wait for him to say his piece. After quite some time, Sam sighed in resignation. Janet insisted that she get some sleep, and Sam wasn't really in the mood to argue with her.
She stood up, feeling stronger than she had earlier. A hand on her shoulder stopped her for a moment, and then Sam turned around to face the Colonel.
"Carter," he paused, looking down for a moment before continuing, "it's good to have you back."
"It's good to be back, sir." Sam reciprocated his smiled.
Xel'naga
Sleep was elusive. Rolling over again, Alahn shut her eyes tight and willed herself to fall asleep. After a few moments, she angrily rolled over on her other side. Of all the things, she never really expected this.
The silence inside her own skull kept her up.
Not that she had been so naive as to think that she wouldn't miss Sam's presence, but she hadn't figured it would affect her sleep. Her sore throat was far less annoying than the missing comments to stray thoughts. Another mind merged with her own had gone from being terrifying and foreign, to a reassuring experience. It left her feeling... empty.
Alahn looked over at Sam, who was staring at the tent's ceiling. So she wasn't the only one who was taking some time to adjust. Janet looked sound asleep, Alahn was happy at least one of them could get some rest.
"Funny how loud silence can be." Alahn commented.
"Wondered when you'd finally give up." Sam wasn't startled in the least. Alahn thought she would be absorbed in her thoughts, but apparently not.
"Well I really am tired. I just can't do anything about it."
"Yeah." Sam agreed. "How's the throat?"
Alahn was glad that her voice wasn't laced with guilt. She didn't want Sam obsessing over something they had both agreed to. "It's not that bad, really."
"Good to hear." Sam rolled over to face Alahn. Her movements were more easy and sure than they had been earlier. It seemed Sam's brain was remembering how to be herself.
"So, it's over now." Alahn broke the silence that descended.
"I guess it is."
It occurred to Alahn that her people probably still didn't know that Terak was dead. He had such a small following of servants that he probably had left none behind. Her people didn't have anywhere to run, so Terak wouldn't have a need to leave anyone behind to watch them. They would just assume that he'd return. He always did. This time, however, he wouldn't. But then what?
"What are you thinking?" Sam asked.
"Wondering what will happen to my people now."
Sam was silent for a minute, pondering the situation. "We'll figure something out. Don't worry, we're not just going to forget about them."
"I know." Alahn replied. She knew Sam wasn't lying to her. But nothing could be done about it right then. When they got back it would be dealt with. Freedom was just something she had never dreamt possible before this.
"I'm sure they're all going to be pleasantly surprised."
That, or they'd all die of shock the moment she entered the village. No one ever came back from Terak's. She chuckled at the thought. "Yeah, I guess they will."
"So, what will you do?" Sam asked seriously.
"I belong with them. With Terak gone, things will be... different."
Sam nodded. "Well I can't think of a better person to help out."
Alahn blushed at the blatant compliment. It was odd, before she would be terrified of taking on responsibility like this. But now, she knew she had to do it... and that was ok.
Xel'naga
The trip back to the gate was leisurely. Janet didn't want Sam to exert herself too much, and Jack found that he didn't mind the slow pace. Besides, trees weren't so bad when there was a pressing afternoon sun to consider.
When they exited the wormhole Hammond was waiting by the ramp. He smiled as everyone stepped through.
"Welcome back," Hammond could barely contain his smile.
"Mission accomplished, General," Jack declared cheerfully.
"I can see that, Colonel."
"I believe, General, that cake is in order?"
The General only shook his head at Jack's antics, receiving a hurt expression in return.
Xel'naga
Alahn entered the village with SG-1 trailing behind her. She watched as everyone stopped what they were doing and whispered in hushed tones. It wasn't surprising, she knew that they had all resigned themselves to never seeing her again.
Lental, Feila, Dibu... they were all there. She felt her eyes begin to glisten. As much as she had thought about this moment in recent days, nothing prepared her for actually experiencing it.
"Alahn?" An elderly figure approached from the side, looking at her as if she were a phantom.
A smile plastered her face, "Grandmother!"
The old woman grasped her in a tight embrace, touching her all over. It was too much to chance that this were real. "By Terak's mercy, you are alive."
"Terak is dead," Alahn stated, realizing it was a phrase she would have to invoke many times.
"Hush your tones, child!" fear crept on her grandmother's features.
"No, grandmother, it is true. These ones helped kill him. We are free now. Our people, our crops, are our own."
Alahn watched as she looked on in disbelief, before acceptance began to dawn on her face. "Please, forgive my rudeness. Come inside."
She offered them all fruit from a bowl on the table. Not wanting to offend, they each took a piece. The fruit was good, green like an apple but sweeter.
"I should have thanked you earlier for returning my granddaughter."
Sam replied, "It's our pleasure."
"And if what she said is true, I must also thank you on behalf of our people."
"Just another day at the office," Jack responded. The woman only looked at him curiously before ignoring his antics.
"We also came her to talk to your people about other related matters," Daniel said after some silence.
"What else can there be?"
"Before your people were brought here, other... life forms lived on this planet."
"Yes, the brutes. This is nothing new. Terak claimed that they had challenged his rule and that he would protect us from them. But we have never seen them."
Alahn watched the proceedings keenly, having taken up a chair beside Sam.
"Well, they do exist, though they fled this planet long ago. And it is their desire to return here."
"This cannot be good for us?"
Daniel shook his head, "We told them of your presence here, and according to Alahn you have nowhere else to go. They proposed a cohabitation."
She cocked her head "How so?"
"According to them you may keep the land that you've settled on, and they can recreate their own cities. They also proposed that trading and perhaps more wouldn't be out of the question."
She sat down, taking each of them in slowly. "Well, if they can truly be trusted, then this seems an equitable arrangement. With Terak controlling us, our town has no real leaders to speak of. But I'll get everyone together and we may consider this."
She left to gather the rest, and Sam turned to Alahn. "It'll be ok."
"I know," she replied.
"If your people don't want to stay here, there are many places that you'd be welcome."
Alahn shook her head. "I'm not really worried about that stuff so much. I know that this will work out one way or another. It's just that there's so much change now. No more demons to rule over us, everything will be different now."
"Change isn't always bad," Sam said, fully aware of the irony.
"But it is a lot." Alahn paused for a moment, "You'll visit?"
Sam laughed, "Of course!"
"Good, because I would never forgive you if you didn't," Alahn pushed her playfully.
"Well then," Sam winked, "we can't have that, now can we?"
It was Alahn's turn to laugh.
Xel'naga
Sam jogged through the park, luxuriating as the morning sun bathed her in its light. She enjoyed these simple things a lot more now, grateful to feel things once again that were purely her own.
The sun, the wind, the lay of clothing against her body - all these she appreciated in a way she'd have never believed possible.
She watched as a black lab rushed at a ball that had been thrown in her direction. The yellow tennis ball landed ahead of her, and the dog skidded to a halt as it grabbed it in its mouth. It looked up at her and began to follow her, lifting its head as if it wanted Sam to share in its pleasure of having retrieved its toy.
Sam chuckled at the dog, its tail wagging contentedly.
"Milo!" A man called, and the dog cocked his head. It stopped, but then looked back at Sam. "Milo come!"
At that the dog trotted back to its owner, and Sam waved at the man.
Nearing the return loop, Sam's mind began to wander. SG-1 still had a few more days leave before they had to be back on the mountain, and she was determined to enjoy every second of it.
With that, she began planning a day out with Janet and Cassie.
Xel'naga
Xyshokana-Esan pocketed the crystal within his robe. Daniel's words when they had spoken alone in his chamber consumed his mind.
There were survivors.
The mere thought was almost enough to bring him to his knees. He only wished that he could tell the others of this new development. But it was too soon. Too much was changing, and things would be problematic enough without this information. Traditions died hard. The warriors especially would have difficulty with the times ahead. The last thing he wanted was the leaf that toppled the ginnal. While he was overwhelmed with joy that some had lived regardless of how they had accomplished it, others would not be so understanding.
However, their prejudice wasn't going to stop him from seeing himself.
He approached the Transportation Circle, entering the address as the guards acknowledged him. With one hand he returned the gesture, but was wholly oblivious to their being. He stepped through quickly.
On the other side the planet was dark. Xyshokana-Esan walked down the path that he had not even seen in far too long. Even so the way was clear to him. Wasting no time, he made his way to the ruins.
Xel'nagans laid about the rubble. Most were asleep, but a few poked lazily at fires that scattered the long broken streets. Just from their movements he could see the damage, they simply didn't look right. It was like watching a herd of wild creatures.
One stood up and approached him. Xyshokana-Esan stood still and watched him come forward. He squinted his eyes in the dimness, trying to make out the one before him. The damaged Xel'nagan stopped a mere pace away, looking just as hard at Xyshokana-Esan as he did at the other. An arm reached up and touched his chest through the robes.
"Ea... Ie... Eesun," his mouth worked feverishly to form the word. He began to beat his chest as Xel'nagans did when overwhelmed by emotion. Xyshokana-Esan could only watch.
"Eesun! Eesun!" he kept chanting the name, growing louder each time. The commotion brought the attention of the rest, who approached and watched the spectacle. The creature kept repeating his name, or at least the small part he seemed to be able to deal with, and knelt down on both knees. He grabbed Xyshokana-Esan's robe, bringing the hem to his downcast eyes.
With all four hands, Xyshokana-Esan grabbed the creature's shoulders, watching as the others took up the chant. It was sadly clear that many didn't understand it, and merely mimicked the others. Daniel had explained that they had been damaged, but he couldn't have imagined the extent.
"My eyes deceive me," A voice came from behind, causing Xyshokana-Esan to turn.
"Shesh," he spoke acknowledging the symbiotic tones.
"Though I never dared dream the day, I should have known nothing would keep you away, Xyshokana."
With one hand he grabbed Coumat-Shesh for support, his other hands clenching tightly as he fought to keep upright.
"I should never underestimate your knack for survival... brother."
END